Revised date for decider
AUGUST 30 is the new date for the A-League grand final, after Football Federation Australia was forced to revise the season schedule.
FFA had hoped to finish the season by August 23 but complications from the three Victorian clubs serving a 14day quarantine period in NSW has seen it extended a week.
The regular season’s remaining 27 matches will be played in a 34-day period starting with Friday night’s Sydney FC-Wellington Phoenix clash.
Western United will finish the season with its final three matches in seven days, including two in four days, and plays its remaining six matches between July 25 and August 17.
The five-game finals series starts on August 22 at a yetto-be determined venue.
All of the remaining regular season games will be played in NSW, except for Sunday’s Brisbane Roar versus Adelaide United game at Gold Coast ground Cbus Super Stadium.
Both teams will fly to Sydney
after their clash, joining the NSW hub, where 26 of the remaining regular season fixtures will be played.
“We’re used to rolling with the punches, we’re used to things changing quickly and we’re very adaptable,” Adelaide’s director of football Bruce Djite said.
“There’s a Plan B now that’s set in stone, that’s in Queensland. We’re happy to go to NSW. We think it’s OK there for the moment.
But FFA has a back-up plan to move all the games to Queensland should Sydney’s COVID-19 crisis intensify.
“As we know, things can change very quickly and to have a back-up in Queensland is comforting,” Djite said.
Victorian clubs won’t play until July 25, with Melbourne Victory taking on Western United at Bankwest Stadium. *Offer is available 01/07/2020 - 28/07/2020 (inclusive) while stocks last. One copy of The Australian, The Weekend Australian, Gold Coast Bulletin, The Courier Mail or The Sunday Mail per transaction of $20 or over, excluding cigarette & tobacco products, ePay, and Golden Casket purchases. Limit one free paper per person per day. Offer only available at participating IGA and Drakes stores.